Many think the George Washington Masonic Memorial
is one of the most important memorials we have in the United States of
America. Locals call the monument the Masonic Temple or more rarely the
Alexandria Lighthouse. The building is located near the King St. Metro.
George Washington was more then just the first president of the
United States, he was a man who promoted righteous virtues, a willing
nature to fight for his beliefs. As one of our founding fathers, George
Washington built this country with his vision of what America should
strive to be.
The George Washington Masonic Memorial is a tribute to George
Washington the man and the mason. Thus, the building reflects the
democratic principles of George Washington by referencing the
architectural style of ancient Rome and Greece. The edifice appears as
a lighthouse, mimicking the architecture of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. And high atop Shooter's Hill it dominates the Alexandria Skyline. But inside the building are many interesting rooms and site.
There are nine different floors in the edifice, each offering
something different to the public. The first floor is the Grand Masonic
Hall which can be used for lectures and meetings. The entire tower is
supported by 8 granite Doric columns.
Also located on the first floor is the Shrine Exhibit. The Shriners
of North America is an international fraternity which supports the
Shriners Hospital for Children. The Shriners core beliefs are brotherly
love, truth, relief, and fun. With over 375,000 members world wide, the
Shriners have made a tremendous positive impact in children's lives for
many years. The Shrine exhibit dates back to 1876 and depicts
Presidents of the Shrine fraternity, 191 Shrine Temples, and one wall
in the room symbolizes the pilgrimage to Mecca and the Shriners
striving for perfection.
The "Shriners Hospital for Children" Room commemorates the work of
Shriners every where in support of the Shriner Hospital for Children.
In this room, there is a large white statue of a Shriner holding a
little girl in the left arm and holding her crutches in the right hand.
This room also houses an animated model of the Shriner parade.
The Independent Square Room, also on the first floor, contains a
replica of Independence Square which is located at the Philadelphia
Shriners Hospital.
The building's first floor is home to the George Washington Memorial
Theater. This grand theater provides a wonderful setting for cultural
events and still includes and original painting of George Washington
painted by Hattie Elizabeth Burdette over looking the center of the
stage.
Among other things, the second floor is home to the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 and home of Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 120. (I've actually visited both of these lodges as I am a member of the nearby Pride of Fairfax No. 298.)
The Replica Lodge Room is a replica in every detail from 1802,
paintings, furniture, and so on. There is also Washington's bedchamber
clock which is set at the time 10:20pm, Dec. 14th, 1799, the precise
time of his death.
On the second floor, the Memorial Hall features a large bronze
statue of Washington, a mural on the north wall shows George Washington
and his troops at Christ Church in Philadelphia. On the south wall is
another mural dating to September 18th 1793, laying the cornerstone of
the United States Capitol.
The third floor has the Grotto Exhibit---a social organization of
Master Masons. The initials M.O.V.P.E.R. (The Mystic Order of Veiled
Prophets of the Enchanted Realm) are displayed over a single chair.
The fourth floor has the George Washington Museum which displays,
paintings, relics, prints, and historical documents. Another impressive
statue of Washington towers in the museum.
The fifth floor takes us to the Royal Arch Exhibit which includes a
painting by Allyn Cox of ruins of Kings Solomon's Temple. Also, a
reproduction of the Ark of the Covenant.
The higher the floor, the smaller the floor, so the higher floors
contain less attractions. This is very noticeable on the highest
floors. On the sixth floor is the Memorial Library, available only by
appointment. It contains over 20,000 volumes Masonic works.
The seventh floor which contains several murals depicting Masonic
lessons based on the Old Testament. (A detail from one of these murals
is shown here.) The eigth floor is home to the Knights Templar Chapel
which allows people to reflect and pray.
The ninth floor has the Tall Cedars Exhibit. This includes a model
of King Solomon's throne and temple. This level overlooks the city of Old Town Alexandria in a spectacular fashion. The observation deck provides a 360 degree view of Alexandria.
The George Washington Masonic Memorial provides the public with a
rich history of George Washington, and gives a window to view his life
through. Anyone who ever plans to visit Alexandria must see this
interesting memorial.
The Carlyle District and homes in Old Town enjoy spectacular views of the Memorial as do some of the residences at Jefferson Manor, the Midtowns, Hunting Creek Club, the Huntington Club and Montebello. For help finding a home in this area at any price, contact Will Nesbitt of Condo 1 Alexandria.